AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) invites dynamic, values-driven, and visionary professionals to apply for the position of Chief People & Culture, based in Nairobi, Kenya. This is an exceptional opportunity to join an African-led institution dedicated to catalyzing inclusive agricultural transformation and building sustainable food systems across the continent.
If you are passionate about organizational transformation, people-centric leadership, and shaping the future of agriculture in Africa, AGRA’s call to service may be your next bold career move.
About AGRA and Its Mission
AGRA exists to transform agriculture from a means of survival to a thriving business for Africa’s 33 million smallholder farming households. The organization works to overcome systemic barriers in agriculture and environmental management by offering tailored, African-led solutions that increase productivity, reduce hunger, and improve rural incomes.
AGRA’s strategy aligns with the development goals of its focus countries and hinges on four core pillars:
- Policy and State Capability – Supporting governments in developing enabling environments that encourage private sector participation.
- Seed Systems – Enhancing access to improved, high-yielding seeds to boost farm productivity.
- Sustainable Farming – Promoting climate-resilient, mechanized, and irrigated agriculture.
- Inclusive Markets and Trade – Creating effective linkages between smallholder farmers and profitable markets.
AGRA’s strength lies in its people. With staff and partners rooted in farming communities across Africa and a workforce of over 25 nationalities, AGRA fosters a culture of excellence, inclusivity, and innovation. Its core values—Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship, and Equity (I-RISE)—guide every facet of its operations.
Now, AGRA seeks a strategic and inspirational individual to lead its People & Culture function during a period of ambitious growth and organizational transformation.
The Role: Chief People & Culture
The Chief People & Culture serves as a strategic thought partner to the President and Executive Committee. This role is pivotal in aligning AGRA’s organizational design, culture, and people systems with its overarching mission. It requires a transformative leader with the capacity to drive systemic change, create inclusive workplaces, and model leadership that resonates across diverse cultural and operational contexts.
The Chief People & Culture is responsible for catalyzing a shift in AGRA’s culture, enhancing organizational capabilities, and embedding systems that support high performance, innovation, and collaboration. This role is a senior executive position, integral to shaping how AGRA operates and leads across the continent.
Detailed Job Description
1. Strategic Alignment and Transformation
- Serve as a principal advisor to the President and senior leadership on all people and culture-related matters, providing strategic guidance aligned with AGRA’s long-term vision.
- Translate AGRA’s strategy into a comprehensive people agenda with clear cultural and organizational outcomes.
- Lead the human capital dimension of AGRA’s transformation agenda, including structure, decentralization, and executive team optimization.
- Facilitate the implementation of redesigned leadership structures that enhance responsiveness and regional alignment.
- Redesign organizational systems to promote agility, shared accountability, and inclusive governance.
- Act as a change champion, helping leadership embrace adaptive practices and build a trust-based, empowered, and co-creative organizational culture.
2. Leadership and Culture
- Roll out and institutionalize AGRA’s culture strategy across all levels of the organization.
- Create frameworks to monitor, evaluate, and reinforce desired cultural behaviors.
- Provide coaching and guidance to senior leaders, encouraging values-based leadership that is authentic, visible, and purpose-driven.
- Design and facilitate leadership development programs that promote a growth mindset and cross-functional collaboration.
- Foster psychological safety, inclusion, and well-being throughout the organization and its network of partners.
3. Talent and Systems
- Build a robust talent pipeline through proactive talent mapping, succession planning, and leadership development.
- Conduct strategic workforce planning and implement innovative talent acquisition models to meet future needs.
- Introduce high-impact performance management systems, ensuring a balance of empowerment, accountability, and recognition.
- Oversee the design and execution of equitable compensation, reward, and career development structures.
- Strengthen AGRA’s employer brand, positioning it as an employer of choice within the African development sector.
4. People Experience and Engagement
- Lead initiatives that enhance the overall employee experience—from onboarding to exit.
- Establish feedback mechanisms that encourage ongoing learning, professional growth, and employee voice.
- Develop and implement initiatives that promote agility, mental health, work-life balance, and engagement.
- Track and analyze key people metrics (KPIs) to inform decision-making and demonstrate impact.
5. Compliance and Governance
- Ensure compliance with labor laws, regulations, and ethical standards across AGRA’s operational jurisdictions.
- Oversee a comprehensive review of compensation and benefits to ensure competitiveness and fairness.
- Maintain and update HR policy frameworks and internal controls to ensure transparency and good governance.
- Drive the digital transformation of HR systems to increase efficiency, data visibility, and user experience.
Ideal Candidate Profile
AGRA is seeking an emotionally intelligent and visionary leader who possesses a rare blend of strategic acumen, cultural fluency, and systems thinking. The ideal candidate will have the courage to drive bold change, the humility to engage meaningfully with diverse stakeholders, and the wisdom to prioritize people in every decision.
This is not a conventional HR leadership role. It demands:
- A commitment to Courageous Integrity, ensuring that executive decisions are grounded in ethics and care.
- An ability to operate as a Systems Thinker, connecting strategy, culture, talent, and operations into a cohesive framework.
- The confidence and tact to Influence Across Levels, from boardrooms to field offices, creating alignment and driving collective action.
- The resilience and flexibility to lead through Ambiguity, navigating fast-paced change while fostering a culture of innovation, learning, and inclusion.
AGRA values leaders who center people in strategy and believe in shared purpose as a lever for growth. The Chief People & Culture will be entrusted with shaping a workplace where every team member is seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.
Key Qualifications and Experience
- Proven leadership experience in human capital strategy, cultural transformation, and organizational development within international or multi-stakeholder environments.
- Demonstrated success in partnering with C-suite executives to implement complex change initiatives.
- Experience leading people strategy in African contexts and deep understanding of regional labor markets and cultural dynamics.
- Master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, Business Administration, or related fields.
- Professional HR certifications such as SHRM-SCP or SPHR are an added advantage.
- Familiarity with development sector practices, particularly those that intersect with agriculture, sustainability, or systems innovation.
Why Join AGRA?
- Mission-Driven Culture: AGRA is not just a workplace—it is a movement. The organization is committed to transforming the lives of millions through agricultural innovation and policy reform.
- Global Influence with Local Roots: As a pan-African institution with a global reach, AGRA offers the unique opportunity to influence systemic change while remaining grounded in local realities.
- Inclusive, Collaborative Environment: The organization values diversity and inclusivity, and fosters a culture where everyone’s voice counts.
- Career Growth and Learning: AGRA invests in leadership development and talent acceleration, ensuring that team members are equipped to grow personally and professionally.
- Impactful Partnerships: Work alongside global institutions, governments, and innovators committed to reshaping Africa’s food systems for the better.
Application Process
AGRA is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive leadership and transformational change. Applications are invited from experienced executives who believe in driving equity, innovation, and resilience across people systems.
To Apply:
Please send your application package, including a cover letter and updated resume/CV, via email to:
Deadline for Submission: July 18, 2025, by 5:00 PM (EAT)
All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality. AGRA encourages expressions of interest from female candidates and individuals from across Africa and the diaspora.
This is more than a job—it’s a leadership calling.
Be part of AGRA’s journey to transform African agriculture and empower the next generation of leaders, innovators, and changemakers across the continent.
Let your leadership story begin here.
